Description

Where do stories come from, and how do we come to know them? Daughters listen with wonder to their grandmothers’ tales. Journalists have their trusted sources. Writers of storybooks draw unconsciously from the works of their predecessors. It is as if every story has within it an infallible truth, contained in the echo of its original telling. The storyteller recounts the tale. The listener hears, learns and remembers. In due course they will retell the same tale, adding in something of their own. And so listeners in time turn into storytellers. This inspiring book brings together the stories from across the world of listeners who themselves became storytellers. They reveal who influenced them the most, what drew them further in, what they learnt, and what they now wish to share with new generations. Tips, tools and tales: read this book, and take your turn.

There are some really important, well known carriers of stories here including: Professor Jack Zipes from California; Ann E Stewart (from Australia) on storytelling with very young children; Chip Colquhoun on Storytelling in Education; Tony Cooper provides notes on exercises for working with older children and adults… other contributors include Kevin Crossley-Holland, Michael Harvey, Sam Allo, Hugh Lupton, Cath Little and Prof Mike Wilson. Pete contributes an interesting piece on his ‘Journey into Storytelling’ which includes some thoughts on where that journey might be going and a few missed turnings!